Boat trailers for towing behind automobiles and trucks are widely used to transport boats of a variety of sizes and hull configurations. Such trailers normally consist of a basic frame of tubular members upon which the road wheels are mounted, the frame includes a tongue attachable to the vehicle, and rails or rollers, or both, are used to support and position the boat on the frame. Usually, a winch is mounted on the frame for pulling the boat onto the trailer during loading.
Conventional boat trailers are substantially "open" wherein the boat hull is fully visible when mounted on the trailer, and the hull is exposed to damage from road debris which may be thrown upwardly by the towing vehicle tires, or the trailer tires. In the past, the appearance of boat trailers was of little concern, and only the utilitarian features were considered significant.
Boat trailers are known wherein the boat is somewhat "cradled" between trailer-mounted support rails, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,395,185, and it is also known to construct a boat trailer with a "closed" bottom which would protect the hull of a trailered boat, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,095. However, prior art boat trailers do not provide the degree of hull protection required to completely protect the boat from road debris and prior art boat trailers are not of such form and configuration as to produce a unitary appearance with the trailered boat. It is an object of the invention to provide a boat trailer having a body which substantially completely protects the hull of the trailered boat from exposure to damage from road debris.
A further object of the invention is to provide a boat trailer which is of a configuration which is pleasing in appearance, streamlined, having low wind drag resistance, and having a boat-receiving cavity so configured that the trailered boat and trailer have a very pleasing unitary appearance.
Another object of the invention is to provide a boat trailer having a body molded of a synthetic plastic material whereby the configuration of the trailer may be readily designed as desired by the manufacturer, and wherein a unitary appearance between trailer and trailered boat is achieved.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a boat trailer having a substantially rigid cover for enclosing the trailered boat, the cover including a lockable latch whereby the cover will both protect the boat from damage and the weather, and will secure the boat contents against theft.
In the practice of the invention the trailer body is formed of a molded synthetic plastic reinforced glass fiber plastic material, i.e. a steel frame may be used to reinforce or support the body, and road wheels are mounted upon the body, or the reinforcing frame. At its front end the body, or frame, includes a tongue for attaching the trailer to the towing vehicle.
The body includes an upper surface, lateral sides and a rear, and a boat hull receiving cavity is defined in the cavity intersecting the upper surface and the rear, is located between the body lateral sides. The cavity is of a configuration preferably conforming to the configuration of the hull of the boat to be trailered. The upper edges of the body and cavity lateral sides preferably terminate at approximately the water line of the trailered boat when the boat is received within the cavity. A resilient liner may be located within the cavity for the protection of the boat and trailer.
Preferably, the trailer is of a streamlined configuration, and as the boat hull is closely received within the cavity, the trailer boat and trailer will have a low resistance to air flow and a streamlined unitary appearance when viewed from the side.
The bottom of the cavity is preferably "closed" to completely protect the trailered boat hull from road debris, and, preferably, the trailer body will be painted with colors to match the colors of the boat wherein a most attractive unitary appearance of the boat and trailer is achieved.
A semi-rigid synthetic plastic cover may be hinged to the body at a front region whereby the cover may be raised and maintained in a raised position by an adjustable prop, and upon being lowered to the body upper portion the interior of the trailer boat will be completely enclosed. A lockable latch interposed between the cover and trailer body will prevent unauthorized raising of the cover, and the cover will keep rain and debris from entering the trailered boat, and also secure the boat contents from theft, which is an important factor to fishermen who often prefer to leave their equipment within the boat during trailering.
A boat trailer constructed in accord with the inventive concepts may be manufactured using conventional manufacturing techniques, and launching of a boat from the trailer, or loading the boat in the trailer, may be readily accomplished, and a boat winch may be mounted upon the trailer to aid in loading, if desired.